Rare and Precious Things (The Blackstone Affair 4)

I tickled him in the ribs. “I think you should take up gardening, or maybe grouse hunting, or something.”

He easily caught my hand and blocked my tickling strategy. “I’ll play in your garden any time,” he muttered between soft, quick kisses to my lips, “and hunt your grouse, too.”

I snuggled against him and put my face right into the groove of his upper chest, breathing in his scent, close enough to feel the tickle of the hairs sprinkled there. “You make me so happy, Ethan.”

My words did something for him because I’d never seen him move so fast.

Ethan scooped me up off my towel and said, “Wrap your legs around me.”

I did as he asked and got myself adjusted around his waist, crossing my ankles behind his back.

We kissed the entire time he walked us off the beach, as if our bodies depended on it for sustenance. Ethan’s strength had always left me breathless, and having him carry me in his arms back to the villa, had the same result. Breathless and so turned on. Again.

The next couple of hours were spent tangled in bed, where he made love to me, slow and unhurried…

“WHAT do you want to do about dinner? Shall I cook?”

“Nope,” he answered.

“I really don’t mind, Ethan. It’s a lovely set up in the kitchen and everything’s stocked.”

Ethan played with my hair, dragging his fingers through the strands over and over. He liked to do it. It seemed to be a mindless task, something he did when we were awake in bed together, but I sensed it meant more to him. Soothing. It seemed to sooth him, and was a way to touch me without being sexual. Ethan liked to touch me all the time, sexual or not.

“You’re hungry.”

I nodded against his hand at my scalp. “My appetite is back. I need food to grow this child we made. And dessert.” I ticked him in the ribs to get him moving.

“So feisty you are…and impatient,” he teased. “Far be it from me to be stupid enough to deny food to a pregnant woman—”

“—don’t forget the dessert,” I reminded, with another go at his ribs, which he blocked easily.

“I’m taking you out tonight. I don’t want you to cook. And…without a doubt, there should be a decadent dessert for my girl.”

“Aww, thank you, baby, you are too good to me.” I offered my lips to his for a kiss.

He didn’t kiss me though, instead, his eyes lit up with a gleam that could only be described as wicked, when I felt his palm smack me on the ass with a playful clap. “You’d better move that divine fanny of yours into the shower before I decide to have it again.”

I scrambled off the bed, but before I left him there, I leaned over my very loving, but controlling husband, in all his bared male magnificence, and placed one fingertip at the middle of his chest to keep him down. I gave him the sultriest look I could summon up, cupped my breasts and drew on the nipples slowly, with little twists to the tips. I licked my lips exaggeratedly, using my tongue to curl along the edge of my mouth.

He was mesmerized by it all, and so still, he didn’t even look to be breathing as he watched my little sex-show, slash, lap-dance. I put my finger back on one of his nipples before dragging with my nail all the way down, ever so slowly, over his six pack of muscles, his belly, between his V, and finally, right to the base of his cock.

His torso tightened and flexed as I scratched him, teasing him without mercy. Ethan was my sexual minion in that moment and he and I both knew it. I couldn’t resist what I did next.

I winked at him. “I win,” I whispered, before dashing for the showers.

He chased me down, of course, tickling me, making me laugh as we washed up for our dinner date—but not before paying me back for what I’d done to him on the bed.

In orgasms.

“SOMEBODY is enjoying their dinner tonight.” Ethan watched me eating with a huge grin plastered on his handsome face.

I moaned at the flavor of the rich pasta in my mouth. “Oh me, oh my, this is the most delicious baked ziti I’ve ever tasted in my life. I wish I could make it like this.”

“Maybe you can. Take a picture with your mobile to help you remember some of how they prepared it.”

“That’s a great idea. Why didn’t I think of it?” I reached for my purse.

The gleam in his eyes turned to teasing. “Probably because you’re too busy cramming it in.”